Gerhart can expect more carries early in season

Toby Gerhart‘s role with the Minnesota Vikings appears to be growing. He’s expected to be a workhorse at running back early in the season as Adrian Peterson tries to get back to full health.

Gerhart, a third-year man from Stanford who should have won the Heisman Trophy in 2009 over Alabama’s Mark Ingram, was impressive in a brief stint in Friday’s exhibition loss to the 49ers at Candlestick Park. He carried five times for 31 yards, all in the first quarter.

Gerhart and the Vikings host the 49ers in the third week of the regular season, a week after they duel with the Colts and former Gerhart teammates Andrew Luck and Coby Fleener in Indianapolis on Sept. 16.